Akhilesh says no invitation to Rahul Yatra, Congress says UP route being finalised

SP leaves Bhadoi Lok Sabha seat for TMC


Shortly after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s not invited to ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ remark, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that a detailed route and programme of Rahul Gandhi’s yatra in Uttar Pradesh is being prepared and it will soon be shared with INDIA alliance partners in the state.

“The detailed route and programme of Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra in Uttar Pradesh is being prepared. It will be finalised in a day or two. After this it will be shared with the constituent parties of INDIA alliance in the state,” Ramesh said in a post replying to Yadav’s statement.

The Congress leader further said the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will enter Uttar Pradesh on February 16 and that Yadav’s participation will further strengthen the INDIA alliance.

“His participation in the Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra will further strengthen the INDIA alliance. The Yatra is expected to enter UP on the afternoon of February 16,” Ramesh said.

The Opposition’s INDIA alliance is going through a rough phase after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s public announcement of going solo in Lok Sabha polls. She refused to share any seats with the Congress and the Left in Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections.

After this, JD(U) chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar broke away from the INDIA alliance and joined the BJP-led NDA. The AAP has also refused to give up any seats for Congress in Punjab.

The alliance is said to be facing disagreements in Uttar Pradesh as well and Congress had objected to Samajwadi Party’s “unilateral decision” to release a list of Lok Sabha candidates.

Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav had announced seat-sharing talks with the Congress on 11 seats. The Congress party, however, didn’t confirm this.